PARRY SOUND, ON – Seeing her wages boosted to $14/hour, minimum-wage bakery worker Michelle Templeton was reportedly looking forward to living slightly above the poverty line before being unexpectedly let go next week due to business costs.
“I’m glad I will no longer be living from pay cheque to pay cheque,” said the 32-year-old who, unbeknown to her, will soon be scraping by from EI deposit to EI deposit. “Now I can finally save and create a rainy day fund.”
The employee of Cheryl’s Bakery and Sweets has plans on fixing her car and maybe moving into a better apartment block before she and two other employees are issued their pink slips with their last wage next Tuesday.
“No more packaged ramen or canned soup to get by,” explained the future user of a charitable food bank since her employer will refuse to increase the price of products to accommodate the wage increases so the bakery remains competitive against a supermarket chain store down the street.
This single mother is also pleased to hear about changes to sick leave, a benefit she will never be able to use, nor will she have access to Ontario’s new free prescription drug plan as she’s over the age of 25.
